This is why you should prepare lobster while it is still alive

For anyone who loves everything from the sea, lobster is certainly one of the favorites. For me, it is the highlight of such a decadent fruits de mer platter at these top spots. Preparing lobster requires the crustacean to be alive before you cook it — and there is a very good reason for that.

Preparing lobster while it is alive is not for everyone. Recent research has shown that sea animals also (not entirely illogically) have feelings. Just as in humans, lobsters release cortisol, a hormone produced when you experience pain. Putting a live lobster into boiling water is therefore now prohibited in several countries, such as Switzerland and England. In many restaurant kitchens, a lobster is killed first by stabbing it and then boiled, a preparation method also recommended by star chef Joris Bijdendijk.

Preparing lobster while alive: this is why

But if you are going to eat and prepare lobster, you should always make sure to buy it while it is still alive. Lobsters contain bacteria that are harmful to humans. These bacteria are released within a few hours once a lobster is no longer alive. Those bacteria can make us seriously ill and can even cause food poisoning.

But how do you know whether a lobster is really alive? When you buy one, always check whether its tail curls underneath its body when the fishmonger picks it up. Sometimes this may happen slowly, but that is not a problem. The cold ice the lobsters are lying on can make the animals a little sluggish.

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